Page:Marietta, or the Two Students.djvu/20

14  he had so recently left and again beside the body of that young girl whom even in death he loved to gazed upon. It was to him a kind of pleasure, but a melancholy one, and called up many thoughts which he had never before given being to. The body was no longer in a state of nudity, but dressed in its appropriate garb. Who had done it?—The answer is obvious—the pale student, for he revolted at the idea, familiar as be was with such scenes, of those rude men gazing with unhallowed eye upon it.

Thou wert right, Levator, quite right! harbor such delicate and refined feelings ever, and thou wilt repent it never.

the dissecting room, we re-turn directly to the gray "granite block" we have so recently left. Entering at the second door, the interior view is much the same as that of the neighboring tenements, with the exception that it is better furnished, and has more habitable apartments. Several wretched beds are seen in different parts of the house which are not the most cleanly or healthy in their appearance. One must be very tired and sleepy to rest upon such couches; and let us go farther and say that no one ever did, or ever will rest upon such as those.

No! no! there is not the shadow of rest there.

There may be intervals of rest in the wild delirium of fever, upon the rack,—on the scaffold, in the death struggle, but there, never. Sin holds her court there, and this is the house of the wanton.

In an apartment cleaner, and more tastefully arranged than any of the others, is a young female, turning impatiently the leaves of a book. Her features are very pretty, her form unexceptionable, and her dress much too good to be in keeping with every thing, or any thing about her.

She is sitting, or more properly reclining, with all the abandon imaginable upon the side of her bed. She has evidently on this occasion taken unusual pains to make her toilet. Her hair is a glossy brown, and curled with the greatest care, and as it floats about her neck, certainly makes her attractive, not to say beautiful, which perhaps would be a more appropriate term.

Look at her, with her witching little mouth, ruby lips, dimpled cheeks, and dark languishing eye, is she not dangerous to the virtue of a young man!

See how coquetishly she raises her